India doctor who treated thousands for Rs 2, dies at 80

Dr A.K. Ryru Gopal, affectionately known as the “Two Rupee Doctor” for his decades-long service to the poor and underprivileged, died on Sunday at the age of 80, leaving behind a legacy of compassion and selfless medical care that touched thousands of lives in Kannur, northern Kerala.

For over five decades, Dr Ryru Gopal served patients by charging only a nominal fee. For years, he charged just Rs 2 per consultation, a gesture that earned him his enduring nickname. In later years, the fee rose to between Rs 40 and Rs 50 — still a fraction of what most doctors typically charge.

At a time when healthcare has become increasingly commercialised, he remained a rare symbol of generosity and ethical practice in medicine. His journey into voluntary service began after witnessing the dire condition of a patient during a house call. That experience transformed his approach to medicine, inspiring him to dedicate his life to providing affordable and accessible care — especially to daily wage earners, students, and the poor.

Understanding the time constraints faced by labourers, Dr Gopal began seeing patients as early as 3am, sometimes treating more than 300 people in a single day.

His daily routine reflected discipline and simplicity. He would wake at 2.15am, first tending to his cows, cleaning the shed, and collecting milk. After prayers and distributing milk to locals, he would begin patient consultations by 6.30am at his modest clinic near the Thaan Manikkakavu temple. On most days, queues of patients stretched well into the hundreds.

His wife, Dr Shakuntala, and an assistant helped manage the crowd and dispense medicines. Though his health declined in recent years and the number of patients decreased, his commitment to service never wavered.

He lived by a principle taught by his father, the respected Kannur physician Dr A Gopalan Nambiar: “If it’s about making money, do some other job.” That belief shaped his lifelong mission.

Rejecting corporate incentives and refusing to entertain pharmaceutical representatives, Dr Gopal prescribed only affordable and effective medicines. Together with his brothers, Dr Venugopal and Dr Rajagopal, he upheld a family legacy of service-driven medical practice.

- with inputs from IANS